


worth protecting

by octopodian



Category: The Magnus Archives (Podcast)
Genre: 2 separate scenes tied together by her, F/F, Gen, M/M, basically a... gay sad anthology with helen as the host? i guess, but thats fiiiine, the lesbians are all fairly okay. jon and martin... are less so
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-23
Updated: 2019-04-23
Packaged: 2020-01-24 09:14:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 870
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18568363
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/octopodian/pseuds/octopodian
Summary: Helen has been helping the Archives lately. She fancies herself as a guardian angel, of sorts, and it has worked so far. She can sweep any threats that Peter hasn’t dealt with under the rug, and nourish herself in the process. Not an entirely one-sided relationship, but still, largely generous on her part.She doesn't mind, though. Some things are worth protecting.





	worth protecting

Helen has been helping the Archives lately. She fancies herself as a guardian angel, of sorts, and it has worked so far. She can sweep any threats that Peter hasn’t dealt with under the rug, and nourish herself in the process. Not an entirely one-sided relationship, but still, largely generous on her part. 

She doesn't mind, though. Some things are worth protecting.

 

Today, she turns her attention to the Detective and the Huntress. She hasn’t properly met Daisy, but Melanie seems to think she’s ‘alright,’ and Helen trusts her judgment.

Maybe someday they'll meet, but right now doesn’t seem like the time to be introducing herself.

 

They’re standing in the break room, only a few feet between them, but looking worlds apart. From the way the silence hangs in the room, it likely hasn’t been broken in a while.

Basira quietly puts away her teacup, grabs something food-like (Helen doesn’t really eat much), and turns to leave, movements precise and calculated and stiff. 

“You leaving again?” Daisy’s throat is raw and her voice cracks, as rough and hurt as the first day she’d crawled out of Too-Close. “Gonna bother telling me where?”

Basira pauses, sighing to herself. She seems reserved, relaxed, but Helen knows that smell. Basira is scared.

Of what?

“Daisy, look-”

“ _ Basira. _ ”

Basira finally turns to her, eyes widening when she sees that Daisy’s are full of tears. “Did I-” Daisy pauses. She forces her voice to stop shaking, hands in tight fights, and says slowly, “what did I do wrong, Basira?”

“Nothing,” Basira says softly. Tears drip down her face. 

“Then... then why-”

Basira pulls her into a very tight hug.

Daisy chokes on a sob, pulling Basira closer. Unusual, Helen thinks: Basira hates physical contact, never even shaking hands with anyone if she can help it. Daisy must be very special.

They stand together, shaking in unison, two bodies pressed into one. 

“I can’t get you back, just to lose you again.”

“You won’t.” It’s a promise they both know they can’t keep, but Daisy says it with firm conviction, like ever leaving Basira isn’t even thinkable. “Don’t make me lose you. Please. Talk to me.”

“...I can’t, not now. But I will.”

“Okay,” Daisy says.

Neither of them let go.

 

Helen focuses elsewhere. They are safe, and this moment is not for her. 

 

Jon takes a deep breath and pushes the door open. Martin jumps, sighing quietly (fondly, but masked under years and years of practice doing so).

“Jon, you can’t keep doing this.”

“Martin...” The word sounds like a prayer, rough and thick with grief. Martin shudders, his jaw twitching slightly, refusing to look at him, eyes straight ahead. Jon’s eyes, on the other hand, are huge and pleading, scanning over him, committing Martin to memory. There's the analytical eye of the Archivist, yes, but there's also something else, something uniquely Jonathan Sims.

“Jon,  _ please _ . You need to just trust me on this.”

“I do," Jon says immediately, before he sighs, “just- just listen, okay? Then you can go. I’ll stop finding you. I’ll- well, I’ll try, anyway. I know I  _ owe _ it to you, I know you know what you're getting into, what you're doing, I- I just need to say this.”

Martin sighs. He stands up, arms full of statements, and turns to face Jon. He almost manages to hide the way his whole body tightens. “Yes?”

“I- I miss you.” Martin scoffs, not believing or refusing to believe, and Jon continues, eyebrows pulled together, determined to prove him wrong. “I mean that. I’m not just... saying it. I’m not good with... well, I’m not good with anything, I know that now, but emotions have never been my strong suit. I care about you. A lot. I know I’ve been awful to you in the past, and I’m sorry. God, I’m so, so sorry.” A long, deep breath. “I can’t... I keep thinking about you, and I don’t know why- well, I do, but I think it’s...” He trails off, staring at the ground. He looks up and meets Martin’s wet eyes with his own. “Please, just... take care of yourself. For me.”

For an eternity, the two men face each other, so close, and yet unable to be any farther. Jon moves first: he turns and leaves, faltering slightly in the doorway, but nonetheless shakily walking away.

Martin doesn’t move, save to take a long, ragged breath.

 

Helen thinks maybe she’s had enough watching for today.

 

She opens her door, stepping out into the dark halls under the institute. She may not Know things like the eyes, but she can hear Melanie humming along to something. 

She could spend her entire existence listening to that sound, and she’d still undo the universe to protect it.

She walks calmly along the corridors, knowing her heels make no sound even against the hard stone. She turns into Melanie's room (really, it just has a cot and some food, but none of the others linger there except her), pausing in the doorway to watch her. 

Melanie's eyes are half shut, almost reverently, as she half mouths and half hums the words. Helen smiles, and Melanie turns around, smiles back.

 

Some things are worth protecting.

**Author's Note:**

> this isnt the best but by g-d who else is gonna throw helenie out into the void?  
> i hope they all end up happy :(


End file.
